Professional experience

2018 – Present Director, Research and Evaluation, Global Education, Employment and Engagement Business Unit, FHI 360, Washington, DC

Oversees the design and implementation of research and evaluation in Global Education, Employment and Engagement Business Unit, spanning global education, youth, workforce transition, livelihoods, and civil society and media programming. Ensures the application of consistent and rigorous practices and methodologies in projects and proposals. Manages personnel, budgets, and time to provide high quality design and execution of research and evaluation activities. As Director of Education Policy and Data Center, advances the use of data and research in the field of global education, and promotes special initiatives gathering stakeholders and fostering research collaboration around critical issues in the field. Engages Global Learning Leadership and Technical Teams in the development of the Global Education research agenda, and fosters agreement on research priorities for the department. Identifies business opportunities in R&E, and makes recommendations on go/no-go decisions. Responsible for cultivating and strengthening technical capacity in R&E in Global Education.

2015 – 2017 Director, Research and Evaluation, Global Education/Global Learning Business Unit, FHI 360, Washington, DC

Oversaw the design and implementation of research and evaluation in Global Education. Ensured the application of consistent and rigorous practices and methodologies in projects and proposals. Managed personnel, budgets, and time to provide high quality design and execution of research and evaluation activities in Global Education, both as part of Global Education field projects and stand-alone research activities. As Director of Education Policy and Data Center, advanced the use of data and research in the field of global education, and promoted special initiatives gathering stakeholders and fostering research collaboration around critical issues in the field. Engaged Global Learning Leadership and Technical Teams in the development of the Global Education research agenda, and fostered agreement on research priorities for the department. Identified business opportunities in R&E, and made recommendations on go/no-go decisions. Responsible for cultivating and strengthening technical capacity in R&E in Global Education.

During 2014 and 2015, led research efforts on the linkages between education inequality and violent conflict, and the effects of conflict on education equity post-violence; as well as a series of papers on barriers to educational access for disadvantaged groups. In 2015 led the development of a study of the effects of early marriage and teenage childbirth on school participation and dropout for adolescent girls, using data from nine Southern African countries.

Co-led the Education Equity Research Initiative, a collaborative partnership of research and implementing organizations built around strengthening data and evidence on education equity. In this role, led the Measurement and Metrics Working Group and several efforts designed to ensure a continuous and consistent data collection on ethnicity and race, disability, displacement, poverty, and other displacement characteristics. Led the development of the Initiative’s research agenda and is external dissemination and engagement efforts.

2011 – 2015 Associate Director, Research and Evaluation, Global Education/Global Learning Business Unit, FHI 360, Washington, DC

As Associate Director for Research in Global Education, and Director of the Education Policy and Data Center (EPDC, a research unit of FHI 360 Global Education), guided the agenda-setting and strategy for international education research, and led the development of research and technical publications on issues of educational equity, education finance, and data quality in international education. Oversaw the management of the online education data resource with over 250 data sources. From May 2014, principal investigator of a large-N study of horizontal education inequality and its effects on violent conflict globally, with two country case studies (Uganda, South Africa). Senior technical contributor on an impact evaluation study (Kenya), and advisor on multiple monitoring and evaluation efforts in FHI 360 Global Education. In 2010-2012, Project Manager of the Education Policy and Data Center’s technical support effort to the Global Partnership for Education. Cultivated and maintained collaborative relationships with prospective donors to secure a stable funding flow for Education Policy and Data Center activities. Led the development of technical research proposals with a proven track record of success, and led or contributed to proposals on global education reform implementation projects. Supervised a team of four full-time research staff.

2010 – 2011 Senior Education Specialist, Global Learning /Education Policy and Data Center, AED, Washington, DC

As a senior technical specialist in the Education Policy and Data Center, led the successful execution of data management and research projects. Examples include the construction of medium-term education projection models for the Global Partnership for Education, and the design of the methodology for imputing missing data and measuring education output for the purchasing power parities (PPP’s) project of the World Bank’s International Comparison Program. Oversaw the development of a series of education data reference materials for the Center’s comprehensive global education data resource, EPDC.org, such as country profiles and policy briefs. Developed and maintained relationships with existing and prospective donors. Provided technical oversight to other staff in the completion of project deliverables.

2008 – 2010 Graduate Research Assistant, National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools & Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York

Collected and analyzed college achievement and student survey data from Early College Initiative, a project of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation across the United States. The project focused on setting students from disadvantaged backgrounds on a path to college. Developed content and facilitated training workshops in education data utilization for high school administrators of participating Middle School National Consortium schools. Developed descriptive data reports for each stakeholder group and school. Contributed to the development of NCREST capacity for analyzing achievement data and developing data reports, offered methods to control for selection bias and the nested data structure.

2009 Research Consultant, JBS International, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York

As part of a research team led by dissertation sponsor, carried out background research and literature reviews for the new USAID Education Strategy. Issues researched (papers listed below): access vs. quality in education (is there a tradeoff?), the changing context of basic education, and lessons learned on modalities of aid in education.

2003 – 2007 Project Management Specialist, USAID Regional Mission in Central Asia Region, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Carried out programmatic oversight for the USAID/CAR Education portfolio in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Portfolio included activities focusing on teacher training, community involvement, promotion of healthy lifestyles, school infrastructure, education finance policy, and standardized testing. Engaged in regular interaction with host government counterparts across the Central Asia Region. Designed and managed the mid-term evaluation of the Mission’s flagship basic education program, and oversaw its implementation. Working in collaboration with USAID Education colleagues, designed the follow-on USAID basic education project and oversaw its procurement and launch. Provided technical assistance to USAID/Ukraine in the development of the national school-leaving examination program in Ukraine, modeled after a successful program of USAID/Central Asia. Participated in an evaluation of a community development program of USAID/Georgia. Served as Chair of the Foreign Service Nationals Committee, representing 100+ local employees to USAID Mission leadership and U.S. Embassy.

2000 – 2003 Project Management Assistant, Economic Growth, USAID Regional Mission in Central Asia Region, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Assisted senior staff in the monitoring of program implementation in economic development. Designed and managed five evaluations of USAID Central Asia programs in trade facilitation, small and medium enterprise development, and business and economics training. Was responsible for the financial and administrative monitoring of project budgets and funding actions. Coordinated Mission-wide initiatives in reforming and streamlining gender integration and participant training.